Island Diary

This week, Shane de Blacam gives a talk about his life's work in the Royal Academy in London on receipt of the RA Architecture Prize 2023. Exactly 40 years ago, we completed construction of Siopa an Chniotáil, our knitwear store, showroom and yarn store designed by Shane. read more

All of our garments are designed, made, and hand-finished on this small Atlantic island. As a place of great natural beauty and tradition, the simple life here informs every part of our collections. Without distraction, the eye is drawn to small details in nature, and in the work of the island's farmers and fishermen, providing endless inspiration. read more

Until the first daily boat service to Inis Meáin began in the late 1990s, travel to and from Inis Meáin was very difficult, and to this day Inis Meáin remains a remote outpost, where traditions are cherished. A journey to or from the island involves an hour's ferry journey or a 10 seater plane ride to rural Connemara - neither of which makes a daily commute possible. Hence a seasonal movement of people, both to and from the island, as the visitor season ends and the academic year begins read more

The ancient Irish proverb Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine loosely translates as we live in the shelter of our neighbours. Inis Meáin has the smallest population of the three Aran Islands with around 160 inhabitants. With a team of over 20 people, Inis Meáin Knitwear has been the largest employer on the island for almost fifty years. We are fortunate to be part of, and to support, such a strong, resilient community. read more

Knitting has always been a family enterprise on the Aran Islands. Women were skilled knitters who clothed their families and themselves, often coming up with new and inventive patterns which were handed down from one generation to the next. Fishermen wore their wives’ creations; a plain knit for workwear and another, more intricate style, kept as ‘Sunday best’. The de Blacam family have become synonymous with high-quality knitwear around the world since the foundation of the Inis Meáin Knitting Company almost 50 years ago. Tarlach de Blacam and his wife Áine, a native islander, established the company to create employment for the women of the island. They saw the potential for slow, sustainable, high-quality knitwear, with every piece designed to be worn for life. This company has been the main employer on the small island of Inis Meáin ever since. read more

All our garments are made on this small Atlantic island, so it’s a source of great pride to us that Inis Meáin knitwear has become internationally renowned over the last four decades. From the early days, our founder Tarlach de Blacam travelled the world with Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer collections, meeting buyers from some of the most prestigious boutiques and department stores, establishing Inis Meáin’s reputation as a unique brand of exceptional quality. read more

From flax to fabric, the story of linen is deeply connected to Inis Meáin. One of the oldest textile fabrics in the world, flax was used in textiles in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) as far back as the Neolithic period. Its species name Linum utisatissimum—meaning ‘most useful’—is particularly apt, as flax has been grown in Ireland since the Bronze Age and been cultivated for use for clothing for a thousand years. read more

People all over the world join in the tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th. Yet nowhere celebrates Ireland’s national day quite like we do here on Inis Meáin, with a Cead tournament. read more

There is a very old custom or ritual, which has been practised in the island for centuries. On the eve of the feast of St Brigid, January 31st, all the young girls (under twelve) visited every house in the island with a Brídeog, a doll made of straw and clothed in a bright dress, ribbons and some jewellery. read more

The unique natural beauty and rich Irish culture of the three Aran Islands have long attracted artists, musicians and literary figures. One of the latest visual and literary representations is The Banshees of Inisherin, mostly filmed on our neighbouring island of Inis Mór, pictured here behind Inis Meáin. read more